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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

On Gardenias and Starlets

Thank you all so much for your feedback on my rose dress dilemma! Your responses were passionate and quite varied, to say the least. I kept changing my mind with each new comment! I'm so impressionable. Which is why I feel I must pull out the big decision-making guns: listening to my mother. She feels that Michael Kors-designed Vogue 1117 is to die for, and I cannot, in good conscience, disobey my mom. That's what a good daughter I am. (I can just hear her laughing in disbelief as I write this.)
But aside from my mother's good opinion, there's also the little matter of the Michael Kors Gardenia Dress (pictured above), which is the exact same pattern as Vogue 1117. I know I'm like two years late to this party (the Gardenia Dress was part of Kors's fall 2008 line), but there you have it. This dress was also made in a glen plaid wool - as on the Vogue pattern envelope - and called the Starlet Dress. Isn't it crazy how different it looks in a floral?

And look at the lines of it next to the Ceil Chapman rose dress:

I think the wide neckline is what really does it, along with the pleating that keeps a floral fabric from looking too much like a bed sheet.

Also, it looks like good old Michael Kors got some major inspiration from Ceil Chapman on this number, which makes sense in a roundabout way. Kors cited Mad Men as his primary inspiration for the collection this dress came from, and Chapman would have been in her heyday in the era Mad Men is set in. (Oof, that just made my brain hurt.) Just look at the similarities in pleating in these two dresses - the Starlet Dress in brown and a vintage Chapman in a blue floral print :

And for those who worried that 1117 isn't va-va-voom enough, I give you Ms. Kristin Davis, an actress who actually has hips, wearing the Gardenia Dress.

So I'm going to give it a go! My plan is to muslin 1117 when it arrives and go from there. I'll keep you updated, as always.

In the meantime, I'm on my second muslin of the VoNBBS background dress. Good grief, this dress has been a headache to fit. I'll show you pictures of the muslin once it's in show-able form. Wish me luck! I hope you're all having a lovely week filled with sewing (or at least pleasant dreams of sewing).

I saw that Michael Kors pattern at the time and couldn't see past the drabness of the fabric on the photo. But I absolutely love the gardenia dress... funny what a bit of flowery print will do! Your dress will look fantastic. Can't wait to see it.

That style I going to look amazing in your beautiful floral print. I really love this pattern - the bodice construction lines are fabulous. I'm hoping that one day I'll feel up to the challange of making this one so any tips you have will be eagerly received by me!

Like others have mentioned, I thought this pattern was ho-hum when I first saw it in the Vogue catalogue even though the pleating seemed interesting. I think they might also have shot the photo at a particularly unflattering angle, AND the belt makes such a difference!

So now, thanks to you Gertie, it's going on my list of "Vogue patterns I want" that's pinned to my corkboard. Though, since I need to go the fabric store today anyways, and Vogues are on sale right now.......well, you can see where this is headed! lol

It looks fabulous in a floral and I think your roses would give quite a different vibe to the dress, so you wouldn't look like you're late to the party at all. Your dress will be more reminiscent of Ceil Chapman than of Michael Kors in that fabric.

I didn't get a chance to put in my vote yesterday, but that pattern wasn't my top choice — as others have said it looks kind of "meh". But seeing the actual dress in floral and with the belt (yay for belts!), it is absolutely stunning. I say definitely thumbs up!! Go Mom!

You know, I really wasn't a big fan of the MK pattern for your fabric... until you posted the original dress in the purple floral print. Alright, I'm sold! :) I hope that the muslin fitting goes well and I'm really, really excited to see the finished product.

Confession: I've been OBSESSED with that rose print ever since you blogged about it a few days ago. I'm not gonna lie - if I can find it locally, I might just add it to my stash. There is something so charming and feminine about those roses. I really hate to be a fabric copycat, but in this case, I might just have to bend my own rules a bit. :/

Like many others, the drabness of the fabric in the initial photo put me off, but seeing it in the floral - what a knockout! The belt is a great modern addition. Can't wait to see this made up, and if I ever come across any floral that I'm totally in love with, I'll definitely keep this one in mind!

Oh this is going to be spectacular! It's way crazy how different the dress looks in a floral. Like way crazy. I was thinking how oddly boring it was until this floral came along. Gorgeous. I think you'll look heaven in red roses too!

It's going to be gorgeous! I have this pattern and was planning on making it in a plain tropical wool, but it's fabulous in a floral. I may need to reconsider how I'm going to make it. Good luck with all your muslins!

Im pleased you went with this one Gertie! I love the name "The Starlet Dress". Looking forward to seeing The Background Dress muslin, hope it doesnt give you too much of a headache!! Happy Sewing:-) Ruby Slippersrubyslippersvintage.blogspot

Hooray!! That was my vote, but with the time difference, (I am in Australia) I got up and you seemed to have made up your mind. I used the top of Vogue 8555 for a dress and it wasn't very pretty. It didn't sit that well. I am glad you are 'listening' I look forward to seeing the finished dress.

I just copycatted that dress a few weeks ago! (http://craftingchavs.blogspot.com/2010/02/help-haiti-now.html), but I used Simplicity 3774. I recognize Vogue 1117, but didn't realize it was the same dress that I had been coveting for so long, probably because of that drab fabric. Pattern companies choose the worst fabric for their envelopes.

Excellent choice! It's amazing how much the photos and drawings on the pattern envelope can affect your fabric choices, and if you can think outside the obvious there are so many delightful possibilites. Look forward to seeing how it comes together!

I love that Mum has the final word (that so often happens to me too), and that you kind of argue your final choice! Made me nod my head several times! I'm really exited about the result, the pattern looks like it'll be very flattering for curves, and the front darts look very interesting! And I do too vote for a matching belt!

Easter will be sewing time for me, and I hope to whip up (in your spirit...) a dress or two!